"The mountains and rivers shattered, the wind carrying the floating cotton, my life adrift like a water lily in the rain..."
"Since ancient times, who can escape death? But a loyal heart remains in the annals of history..."
Fang Yuan also understood the thoughts of Lord Chongwu at this moment. These two lines of poetry inexplicably appeared in his mind, and he couldn't help but recite them aloud.
However, as soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted it. It felt as though he was jinxing the situation.
But when Lord Chongwu heard it, his eyes lit up.
The first two lines vividly depicted the tragic fate of the country and his own life, while the last two lines... had an emotionally powerful impact that deeply resonated with him!
"Since ancient times, who can escape death? But a loyal heart remains in the annals of history... What a beautiful poem!"
Lord Chongwu slapped his thigh:
"Yes, even the emperor can only live for a thousand years or so, but in the end, one must die!"
"Even if I am controlled, so what? If I can die for the common people, my name will be honored for thousands of years, my legacy will be immortal!"
It seemed as though he had figured something out. The gloomy expression that had accumulated on his face suddenly vanished, replaced by a surge of grand ambition.
Fang Yuan hadn't expected that just reciting a few lines of poetry would bring such a drastic change in Lord Chongwu's mood.
But he quickly understood that Lord Chongwu had completely put himself in the shoes of the poem. The similar experiences, the similar treatments, made him feel a deep connection.
"Didn't realize you have a talent for phrasing!" Lord Chongwu laughed. "These two lines are really well written!"
"Are they good enough to improve my battle strength?" Fang Yuan asked, his thoughts already wandering to the possibility of becoming a poetic genius.
"No." Lord Chongwu denied directly. "But they are truly motivational."
"Then it's fine."
"Fang Yuan, thank you for the poem," Lord Chongwu said again, his expression serious as he looked at Fang Yuan.
"From now on, you are no longer my disciple..."
"Wait, my named disciple hasn't even warmed up yet..." Fang Yuan hesitated.
"I consider you my friend..." Lord Chongwu added.
"Hey, we're brothers now. Saying that makes it sound so formal."
Lord Chongwu was stunned. This kid sure knew how to take advantage of the situation quickly.
However, Fang Yuan's poetry resonated deeply with Lord Chongwu, and it gave him a feeling of enlightenment. It was as if the poem had written straight into his heart.
At that moment, Lord Chongwu even felt that Fang Yuan was his confidant. After all, how many people can one truly call confidants in life?
Now, Fang Yuan also felt that reciting those two lines of poetry was entirely justified. It had earned him a like-minded, powerful friend, opening up new paths and adding some excitement to life.
The two had now shifted from master and disciple to friends. Then, Lord Chongwu became serious again.
"Fang Yuan, I now give you two choices."
"Which two?"
"One is to come with me to the northern border, so that I can protect you at all times, in case the royal family becomes a threat to you. After all, based on your performance today, they are likely realizing the potential you possess."
"But with the spiritual energy restrictions, do they still need to do that?" Fang Yuan asked in return.
"This is a secret of the Yan Kingdom. I had to sacrifice many old friends and subordinates to uncover it. Even among the royal family, very few know about it."
Lord Chongwu explained, "Take that Fourteenth Prince from today, for instance. With his level of cultivation, he certainly wouldn't know."
"Then, when we reach the border, I should be able to kill freely, right?" Fang Yuan asked.
After all, it was the battlefield, facing millions of soldiers, and he felt it would be a great chance to fight and kill.
Lord Chongwu looked at Fang Yuan and understood that, although he appeared polite, his inner nature was one of violence. The demons of Henglin Mountain knew this best.
He was a bloodthirsty person, yet he maintained a sense of justice...
Shaking his head, Lord Chongwu cast aside his doubts and continued, "Well, it's hard to say."
"To the north of the Yan Kingdom, there is a country of equal size called the Ice Plains. Over the past two hundred years, the Ice Plains' strength has grown, and more and more masters have emerged."
"And wars between countries are, in fact, wars between masters. Most of the time, the two countries' masters are in a stalemate. When the masters fall, then the lesser ones will take the stage, but by that point, it doesn't matter much."
Fang Yuan fell silent. Indeed, in this world, the military strength of a nation is not measured by its army, but by how many top-tier strongmen it has.
After all, no matter how many soldiers an army has, can they compare to a walking nuclear bomb?
So, someone like him wouldn't be much use. He couldn't kill anyone or do any good...
"Then, tell me about the second choice," Fang Yuan said.
"The second choice is for you to take charge of the Jianghai Palace and become the new master of the Jianghai Palace." Lord Chongwu said, once again startling Fang Yuan.
"Me?" Fang Yuan was somewhat surprised. "You really trust me that much?"
"Of course I trust you," Lord Chongwu smiled and nodded.
"When you first arrived at the Jianghai Palace, Yin Fifteen told me everything about you."
"I believe that anyone who can make the entire city's citizens kneel voluntarily is not necessarily a good person, but they are definitely not a bad person. You are absolutely capable of handling the position of a governor."
"Your performance in front of the royal family today only proves it further."
"Moreover, you are now the strongest in the Jianghai Palace besides me. I can only entrust this place to you, and I hope you won't turn it down."
Old Qin has lost his cultivation and become a doorman, Ye Chuan was killed, and the remaining Chongwu Guards are not very strong. Fang Yuan is the best candidate.
Fang Yuan was still somewhat taken aback. This was their first meeting, and yet the other party was already giving him control of a state.
This unexpected gift came out of nowhere, and of course, with it came the responsibility to protect Jianghai.
"What about the treasures in the Treasure Pavilion?"
"If you accept, you will become the master of the Jianghai Palace, no need to ask me again," Lord Chongwu laughed.
"My only hope is that you can do your best to protect this state."
"Alright." Fang Yuan agreed decisively.
This deal sounded like a surefire win. He had no reason to refuse.
"Thank you." Seeing Fang Yuan's agreement, Lord Chongwu's smile became even more gentle.
"By the way, there's also this..."
He flicked his hand, and a jade slip, about the size of a fingertip, landed in Fang Yuan's hand.
"This is..."
"It records my martial arts and insights throughout my life. It was originally meant for Ye Chuan."
"Now, it's for you."